Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday responded to President Dr. Arif Alvi over his letter for delay in generals elections in Punjab and the responsibilities of the chef executive of the state, saying, “I am forced to say that your letter looks like a press release of Tehreek-e-Insaaf,”.
Prime Minister said that he decided to respond so that it could be on the record that the letter was one-sided and contained the anti-government views that the president openly expressed.
“From PTI, you gave dates for general elections,” wrote the PM in five-page letter while responding to the letter of President Dr. Alvi.
“Your letter doesn’t reflect that it is from the president and you have been continuously doing all this,” said PM Shehbaz, questioning the role of the president.
He also categorically conveyed to the President that being prime minister, he was fully aware of his responsibilities and was performing his duties with due diligence. He said that he was not bound to consult the president to discharge his duties in the federation.
President Dr. Arif Alvi had written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 24, asking him to implement the verdict of the Supreme Court regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
PM Shehbaz said, “On April 3, you followed the unconstitutional instructions of the former prime minister by dissolving the National Assembly. Your order was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on April 7,”.
The PM said that the president had failed to fulfill his constitutional duty and did not even administer him oath as prime minister under Clause 5 of the Article 91.
He said that he tried his best to established working relationship.
“I am compelled to response to you by the tone you used in your letter,” said the PM, adding that it was on record that he [president] had acted in the similar manner on many occasions in clear violation of his oath.
“Despite the foregoing and several other instances, where you actively worked towards undermining a constitutionally elected government. I have made all-out efforts to maintain good working relationship with you. However, the contents of your letter, its tone and language has compelled me to respond to it,” he added.
